


I Saw Him First

by thenerdyindividual



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Competition, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Miscommunication, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 08:58:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10987635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenerdyindividual/pseuds/thenerdyindividual
Summary: Eggsy and Roxy both have a crush on Harry. In order to solve this little dilemma they make a deal. It goes sideways.





	I Saw Him First

“I don’t what you’re talking about,” Eggsy says and gestures with his sandwich for emphasis, “Strawberry Soda is obviously superior.”  
“I’m sorry. You are honestly defending a Strawberry Soda over a White Russian? How are those even comparable” Roxy asks.  
“I ain’t the one who started this fight, I’m just defending my side. White Russians are fucking nasty, Rox. I’d take a Strawberry Soda over a White Russian any day.”  
“I worry about your taste Eggsy Unwin.” Rozy says loftily, and sits back in her chair.  
Eggsy rolls his eyes, and takes another bite of his sandwich. He loves Roxy, but White Russians? Really? He hasn’t met anyone, other than his best friend, who drinks the things. The first time she made him one, he spat it out and she ended up drinking both.  
It’s their thing though. Find a topic and proceed to have an entirely pointless argument about it. It’s fun, and it distracts them from anything more serious. Sometimes they just don’t want to talk about missions.  
Eggsy sits forward, prepared to launch into a defense about why, objectively, Supergirl is better than Black Widow when the door to the kitchen swings open. He and Roxy twist in their chairs, and their hands drop to their concealed weapons. Harry stands in the doorway. Instantly Eggsy relaxes and he can feel Roxy doing the same next to him.  
“Apologies Eggsy, Roxy. I didn’t mean to startle you. I came to make tea.” he announces, and strides to the cupboard where the tea ingredients are kept. He smiles warmly at the two of them as he moves, and Eggsy feels the familiar swoop in his stomach that occurs anytime Harry exists.  
“That’s alright Harry. We weren’t doing anything important.” he says dismissively.   
“Yeah. It’s no worry Harry.” Roxy adds.  
Harry sets the kettle to boil, and lounges gracefully against the counter, “You two seemed in a heated debate when I arrived care to share what you were discussing?”  
“We were trying to have a civilized conversation about the merits of Strawberry Soda versus WHite Russians,” Roxy pipes up and turns to Eggsy with a fake glare, “But someone chose the wrong drink.”  
“Are we really starting this again,” Eggsy asks, “I’m telling you I’m right.”  
“And I’m saying you’re wrong,” Roxy snaps and the kettle whistles to indicate its finished boiling, “If you’re so sure why don’t we ask Harry?”  
“Ask me what? Which drink is better?” Harry asks, bemused. He pours the water over his leaves in the infuser and leaves it to steep, then turns to look at them.  
“Yeah,” Eggsy cries, “You can be our tie breaker. Which do you think is better? White Russians or Strawberry Soda?”  
Harry frowns slightly as he thinks, and it makes the scar above his left eye wrinkle. Eggsy knows Harry is self conscious about it after years of dazzling good looks, unmarred by anything but age, but Eggsy loves it. It shows that Harry came back. That Harry was determined to live. Eggsy also thinks it makes him look rather rakish, and it makes his heart flutter.  
Finally Harry stands straight again, and removes his infuser from his tea cup. He takes a sip, and adds just a dash of honey. Then he takes another sip, obviously trying to draw out the drama of the moment. Fukcing dramatic bastard.  
“I think I would say Strawberry Soda is better.” he announces.  
Roxy groans and throws her hands in the air. Eggsy lets out a yell of triumph and slaps his hands down on the table excitedly.  
“Told you Rox! No one drinks that except for you!”  
Harry chuckles and collects the saucer that goes with his tea cup. He puts a few biscuits along the edge, and sets his cup in the center.  
“I didn’t mean to ruin your argument Roxy,” Harry laughs as he walks to the door, “I do have to agree with Eggsy however. You are the only person I know who drinks White Russians. Now if you will both excuse me.” he trails off as the door swings shut behind him.  
Eggsy lets out a sigh. He misses being able to see Harry whenever he wants. Now that he’s cleared for field work, Eggsy rarely gets to see him anymore. Recovery was shit but at least they had a chance to hang out.  
“You like Harry don’t you?” Roxy asks abruptly.  
Eggsy turns to her in surprise. Really he shouldn’t be, considering that they’re both agents, but he thought he was being subtle. “Uh… yeah. I do. I was actually thinking of finally biting the bullet and asking him out.”  
“Oh.” Roxy says.  
“What,” Eggsy demands a flair of panic rearing in his chest, “Do you think he’d say no?”  
“No.” Roxy answers hesitantly.  
“But what? You think it comes off as desperate?”  
“No.” Roxy answers again, voice still hesitant.  
“Then what? Tell me what you’re thinking mate. You ain’t never steered me wrong.”  
“Well it’s just that… I was thinking of doing the same?” she answers.  
“Oh.” Eggsy responds, heart sinking just slightly.  
“Yeah.” Roxy says, her voice thick with the awkward tension of the situation.  
“Well we gotta figure out who gets to date him. Why don’t we just say whoever’s known him longest.”  
Roxy grins, taking the joke for what it is, “You know that tips the table in your favor Eggsy. Don’t be an ass.”  
“Yeah. Alright,” Eggsy snorts, “I think it’s only fair we agree to the code.”  
“The person who saw him first wins?” Roxy clarifies.  
“Sounds fair yeah?”  
“Very. All agents are allowed access to the security feeds. It’s the most fair way to decide who saw him first.”  
“So we’re asking Mordred?” Eggsy asks  
“We’re asking Mordred.” Roxy agrees  
Simultaneously they stand up from the table, and clear their plates. Once everything is dried and put away, they rush for the tech branch.  
They push open the door, practically tripping over each other. They clatter into the concrete room that serves as the nerve center, and cause such a ruckus that Merlin’s head appears over the mess of desks. He glares at them and they offer apologetic smiles to calm him. His head disappears back behind the desks, and they rush for Mordred.  
The young woman takes one look at them and groans.  
“Now what?” she demands.  
“It’s nothing awful Mordred,” Roxy says, “Honestly you’re so dramatic.”  
“You once came in here and tried to get me to list all of the agents’ penis measurements as public record.” Mordred points out severely.  
“Well it’s not that now,” Roxy says indignantly, “We just want to look at some security footage from earlier today.”  
“Fine,” Mordred sighs and pulls her hair over to the other side of her head, exposing the shaved side, “What time and what camera.”  
“Thirteen hundred hours, camera 8G.” Eggsy answers, and blushes slightly when Mordred glares at him suspiciously.  
Mordred decides he’s thoroughly cowed and sets to work. The cubicle is filled with the clack of her keyboard as she enters the command to pull up the feed. She enters the confirmation codes for herself, Eggsy, and Roxy, and the screen is filled with the footage from just half an hour earlier.   
Roxy and Eggsy are sitting at the table, arguing about drinks. The door swings open, and Harry walks into the room. In the footage both Eggsy and Roxy turn in their chairs.  
“Stop there.” Eggsy instructs and Mordred hits the spacebar on her keyboard.  
He leans forward and inspects the image. It’s almost impossible to tell who saw Harry first. They both seem to be looking at the door at the same time. Finally he pulls back and looks at Roxy.  
“It’s kinda hard to tell.” he admits.  
“Yeah. It was really close.” she agrees.  
“I saw him first!” they cry together.  
Mordred glances between them suspiciously. FInally she crosses her arms and pushes away from her desk.  
“You can’t seriously be telling me that the two of you are playing ‘who saw him first’ over Galahad.” she says flatly.  
Eggsy’s shoulders hunch at the accusatory tone. He knows it sounds stupid, even childish, but he can’t think of anything else that will end this without he and Roxy getting into a fight.   
“Just go back frame by frame?” he asks.  
“Ask nicely.” Mordred deadpans.  
“Mordred will you please play back frame by frame?” he asks, politely this time.  
Mordred turns back to her computer and rewinds the feed. Then starts to click through the recording frame by frame. Eggsy leans forward again, trying to catch the exact moment he sees Harry. In the end it’s still a dead tie, and Mordred kicks them out into the hallway.  
“So I guess--” Eggsy starts.  
“I have an idea.” Roxy announces.  
“Okay. Hit me.” Eggsy says.  
“We both date him.”  
“I was going to say neither of us date him but go on.”  
“It was a tie and we both adore him. So it isn’t fair to either of us to not date him. We both date him and let him choose.” Roxy explains.  
“How do we know who he chooses? Who ever he kisses first?”  
“Yes! Perfect. Whichever of us he kisses first wins.”  
“Alright,” Eggsy agrees, “We gotta have some rules though. We can’t kiss him, he has to kiss us. Has to be on the lips, and has to last at least three seconds.”  
“Fair enough. I agree to the terms of this competition.” Roxy responds and sticks her hand out. Eggsy shakes it.  
He is already thinking about how to get that kiss from Harry.  
*  
Eggsy hears his lock click open, and ROxy’s voice trailing up the stairs.  
“Hey Eggsy! I’m here!” she calls.  
JB lets out a bark of joy and scrambles out of the bedroom. He wheezes his way down the stairs, and crashes face first into Roxy’s ankles. She laughs and crouches down to scratch him behind the ears. He slobbers all over her face.  
“Alright pup. Off you get.” she grunts, and stands up as Eggsy comes down the stairs.  
“I thought you were coming over earlier.” he says..  
“Right. We were but I ended up falling asleep on my sofa watching TV.”  
“You fell asleep on your sofa?” Eggsy asks skeptically.  
“Yes. It’s been known to happen.” she answers.  
“Not since I’ve known you. You hate naps.”  
“Not true!”  
“Roxy,” Eggsy says gently, “It’s okay to tell me if you were out with Harry.”  
“It is?” Roxy asks hesitantly.  
“Yeah. Course. We need to be mature about this.”  
“Okay. Well in that case, I was on a date with Harry.” she announces.  
“I figured,” Eggsy responds and can’t fight down the flair of jealousy that rises in his stomach fast enough to keep himself from asking, “Where?”  
“Oh,” Roxy starts and blushes prettily, “Well we went for a walk and he bought me lunch.”  
Eggsy sighs in relief. She’s not one up on him after all, “He bought me lunch yesterday.”  
“That’s nice,” Roxy says smugly, “What did you get?”  
“A sandwich.”  
“Aww.”  
“That’s all I wanted!” he cries indignantly.  
“Did he tell you you have a cute nose?” Roxy asks, and wanders into the living room.  
Eggsy follows after her angrily, “No. Why? Did he tell you that you have a cute nose?”  
She grins at him smugly and it’s all the answer he needs. He clenches his jaw and tries to fight down the burning jealousy turning in his gut. There is still plenty of time for him to get that kiss.  
“Cool,” Eggsy says vaguely, “Cool. I have a date with him tonight.”  
“I know,” Roxy answers snottily, “I can tell.”  
“What is that supposed to mean?” Eggsy asks.  
“Just that you might be coming off a little… desperate.” Roxy tells him, and sinks on to the couch.  
“Desperate,” Eggsy deadpans, and Roxy shrugs sympathetically, “You wanna talk desperate? Don’t think I didn’t notice the fucking push up bra!”  
“Excuse me?” Roxy snaps, and stands up sharply.  
“You heard me!” Eggsy yells.  
“Fuck you,” Roxy growls, and stalks to the door, “That was uncalled for.”  
The door slams on her way out.  
Eggsy sinks into the spot on the sofa that she just vacated, and drops his head between his knees. He feels like shit. It isn’t Roxy’s fault that Harry is leaning towards her. She’s the closest thing the universe has created to perfect. It makes sense that two perfect people would drift towards each other.  
He shouldn’t have lashed out. It was stupid. He just felt his world closing in on him in a way that it hasn’t done since he joined Kingsman. He has to let her cool down before apologizing. Trying to do that now would result in another argument.  
He drags a hand through his hair, and stands up. He has a date to get ready for.  
*  
The restaurant is warmly lit and intimate. Harry’s hand is warm against his lower back. It guides Eggsy to their table, and pulls it out for him.   
Eggsy smiles broadly and takes his seat. Harry pushes it in for him, then takes his seat as well. A waitress appears at their table with a small basket of fluffy, crispy bread, and sets it between the candles.   
“Can I start the two of you with a bottle of wine?” she asks.   
Harry glances at the menu, and orders in perfect French. The waitress nods with a perfect customer service smile, and whisks away to the kitchen.   
“Order whatever you like Eggsy. It's my treat.” Harry announces, picking up his menu.   
“You don’t have to do that,” Eggsy says bashfully, “I can pay for myself.”  
“Nonsense. I want to treat you.” Harry dismisses.  
Eggsy grins to himself again, and picks up his own menu. He glances it over, trying to find something that catches his interest, and his stomach drops. Go figure Harry would find the one restaurant nearby whose entire menu is in french; including the descriptions. Eggsy doesn’t speak a word of the language. He can understand most, and speak some broken Urdu after growing up on the estates, but he doesn’t speak a word of French.   
The words on the page swim in front of his eyes. The accent marks blur together, and the descriptions of the food turn to squiggles in his panic. He glances up from his menu to look at Harry. He doesn’t seem to have noticed Eggsy’s panic.  
“What do you get when you come here?” he asks casually.  
Harry sets his menu down on the table again so he can give Eggsy his undivided attention, “Well the Confit de Canard is excellent.”  
“Yeah? And what’s in that?” Eggsy asks.  
“Duck,” Harry answers, “But the Truite Grenobloise is also delicious.”  
“And that’s?”  
“Trout,” Harry answers and squints suspiciously behind his glasses, “You don’t seem to be reading your menu.”  
Eggsy blushes fire engine red, and scrambles for an excuse. Finally he settles on, “I like listening to you speak French.”  
“I see. Well I will keep that in mind.” Harry says with a small smile.  
“I think I’ll get the trout.” Eggsy decides.  
Their waitress breezes back to their table as if summoned by Eggsy’s decision. She pours them each a glass of wine, and leaves the bottle for them. Harry places their orders, once again in perfect French, and the waitress clears their menus.  
Crisis averted, Eggsy turns his attention back to the date. He takes a bite of one of the slices of fluffy bread, and listens as Harry recounts a mission in which Bors got his trousers stuck in an elevator door. It’s almost enough to distract him from his fight with Roxy but it’s difficult to shove away the gnawing guilt. He hates hurting anyone he cares about, let alone his best friend.  
His glasses chirp just as their food arrives. He taps the corner of the frame, and Merlin’s voice fills his ears.  
“Mission Gwaine. Ye are needed for a debrief at HQ immediately. And before ye ask, no, it can nae wait. Galahad can live without your company for an evening. Tap your right index finger if ye understand.”  
Eggsy shoots Harry an apologetic look and taps his finger. Harry lets out a sigh and inclines his head to let Eggsy know it’s okay. If anyone knows what it’s like, Eggsy supposes, it would be Harry. Eggsy stands from the table, squeezes Harry’s hand, and leaves the restaurant.  
Two days later finds him holed up in a safe house outside of Addis Ababa, waiting for the all clear to move to his next location. His glasses chirp and he sighs in relief, expecting Merlin. Instead he hears, “I thought you should know I have another date with Harry tonight.’  
“Roxy?” Eggsy asks incredulously.  
“Of course it’s me. I’m letting you know that I have a date with Harry tonight.” Roxy says, obviously irritated.  
“Right. Okay. Thanks for letting me know?” Eggsy responds hesitantly.  
“We said we would let each other know whenever we had a date with him,” Roxy reminds him, “I have another the next day as well.”  
“That’s great Rox but now ain’t exactly a good time.” Eggsy points out, and peeks out the tattered blinds, hoping for an opening.  
“Fine. See you when you get back.” Roxy snaps and signs off.  
A few minutes later Merlin calls, and Eggsy lets the handler guide him through the streets. He catches a bullet in the shoulder for his trouble.  
*  
“Alright. That’s enough moping. Tell me what’s wrong or I’m going to strangle ye.” Merlin says, dropping into the free chair next to Eggsy.  
Eggsy looks up from his post-mission paperwork sharply, and turns to Merlin in confusion.  
“I ain’t moping. I’m filling out paperwork.” Eggsy punctuates the statement with a wave of his pen.  
Merlin rolls his eyes, “I know all of my agents. If ye, specifically, aren’t whining about paper work, coming up with excuses to procrastinate, or begging someone to do it for ye then ye are upset. It’s been an hour now, and ye have done none of the above. Therefore ye are moping.”  
Eggsy sits back in his chair, and runs a hand through his hair. He lets out a sigh. He stares into the middle distance for a bit, trying to decide if he should come clean. Finally he looks to Merlin again.  
“If I tell you, you gotta promise not to make fun of me.” he says.  
“When have I--” Merlin starts but Eggsy cuts him off.  
“It’s what you do Merlin. You tell us we’re being idiots, tease us for having our heads up our arses, then tell us to get over it. It’s useful but this time it ain’t gonna fly.”  
“Alright. I promise to you, Eggsy, that for once I won’t mock.” Merlin says seriously.  
“I made a… bet with Roxy. I’m going to lose.” Eggsy explains.  
“Oh. What are you going to have tattooed on your arse then?”  
“Nah,” Eggsy snorts, “No tattoos. It’s not a bet where something gets done to me if I lose.”  
“Then what kind of bet is it?” Merlin asks kindly.  
“It’s one where if I lose then I lose something important to me.”  
Merlin, for the first time since Eggsy has known him, looks utterly bewildered. He stares at Eggsy hard, trying to parse the meaning. Eventually he shakes his head.  
“Okay. Enough vague shit. What are the terms of your bet?” Merlin demands.  
“Whoever Harry kisses first, gets to keep him for themselves.” Eggsy mumbles.  
“Oh,” Merlin says softly and sits back in his chair, startled, “I see. And what makes you think you’re going to lose?”  
“Really?” Eggsy asks skeptically.  
“Yes.” Merlin answers.  
“Because Roxy is perfect, Merlin. I mean, she’s pretty, and dainty, and polite but she’s stronger than most of the agents. She once killed a man with her high heel. She doesn’t take shit from any of us, and is always sure of what she’s about.  
I mean, if you had to choose between some bloke who can’t tell forks apart, and has to ask for translations at a French restaurant, and a girl who not only owns the forks but can speak French fluently who would you choose,” Eggsy rants, and shoves his chair back from the table. Without meaning to he starts pacing. The plush carpet crushes under each step,  
“Hell Merlin. She can say ‘as Marcel Proust would say’ and quote an entire paragraph of his shit from memory. All I can do is quote Star Wars and Star Trek. Who’s he gonna take home to meet his family? Newsflash, it ain’t me.  
I don’t know why I thought I had a chance. I’m fucking mediocre compared to her. She’s never had a mission go tits up. It’s happened to me three times now. I can’t win.” he finishes.  
“I see.” Merlin says.  
Eggsy collapses back into his chair and drops his head into his hands, “I think I need to drop out.”  
“Why?” Merlin asks gently.  
Eggsy’s head snaps up, and he scowls at Merlin, “For all the reasons I just listed.”  
“No. I mean why does it matter if ye lose? It isn’t like ye to just give up.”   
“Because if I lose I don’t just lose out on dating Harry, I lose my best friend. I know I just spent a lot of time ranting about how she’s better than me but I love her too Merlin. After the argument we had, if she starts dating Harry she’ll be too stubborn to ever talk to me again,” Eggsy explains, “I’m tired of losing people, Merlin. I don’t wanna lose Roxy.”  
Merlin nods slowly, stands up, and clasps Eggsy’s shoulder, “If ye ask me Eggsy, ye care a little more about Roxy than just a friend. I would consider that before making any more life choices.”  
*  
Eggsy rests his head against Harry’s shoulder. The blanket around his shoulders turns the situation even more cozy. Supergirl plays at a volume in the background, and Eggsy is practically dozing where he sits.  
Harry turns a page in his book, and his free hand comes up and cards through Eggsy’s hair. Eggsy tilts his head into the touch, and smiles sleepily. Harry smiles back and leans down.  
The door bursts open and Roxy comes swanning in.  
“Hey! What’s happening with the two of you?” she calls.  
“Foul!” Eggsy yells and jumps up from the sofa.  
“What are you talking about?” She snaps.  
“He was about to kiss me when you interrupted! I never crashed one of your dates! I call foul!”   
“There wasn’t a rule against crashing,” Roxy shouts back, “You can’t call a foul if I never broke a rule!”  
“But it’s not fair! You can’t--”   
“Enough,” Harry shouts over the top of them, “Explain to me what’s going on.”  
Eggsy glances at Roxy and raises her eyebrows at her. It was her preposterous idea. It only makes sense that she explain it to Harry.  
“We made a deal that you could choose which of us you wanted to date. We said that whoever you kissed first would be the winner.” Roxy grumbles hesitantly.  
Harry stares at the two of them blankly for a few seconds, and in that time Eggsy can feel his entire world closing in on him again. He’s going to lose Harry. Then he’s going to lose Roxy. He’ll be an outcast at Kingsman because inevitably Merlin will choose Harry over him. Then Harry bursts into laughter.  
“Are you serious,” he snorts, “You two were competing.”  
“Yes,” Roxy says proudly, “What is so funny?”  
“Nothing. I was just under the impression that all three of us were in a committed relationship. Together.” Harry laughs.  
Eggsy stands there stunned. When he turns to look at Roxy she’s equally as dumbstruck. Their confused stare is only broken when Harry shakes his head affectionately.  
He steps forward, and curls a hand in each of their shirts. He pulls them close, and Eggsy can smell the mix of cologne and detergent that rolls off of Harry.   
“You two are utterly ridiculous.” he says, then draws Eggsy in for a deep kiss. When he pulls away, he does the same for Roxy.  
“Now you two.” Harry prompts gently.  
Eggsy turns his head to Roxy and smiles sheepishly. Without missing a beat, she hauls him in by the back of his neck and kisses him. The whole world clicks into place.


End file.
